Singer-songwriter and activist Jill Sobule passed away on the morning of May 1 in her home in Minneapolis after a house fire. Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President & CEO shared touching words for the artist, advocate, LGBTQ community member, and her friend:
“Jill Sobule wasn’t just a trailblazer in music—she was a beacon for queer artists, and I was incredibly lucky to call her a dear friend.Long before it was safe or common, Jill was writing and singing about sexuality and identity with raw honesty and wit. At a time when doing so could have cost her everything, she chose truth. That courage helped pave the way for today’s artists like Brandi Carlile, Tegan and Sara, Lil Nas X, Sam Smith, Adam Lambert, and so many others who now stand proud and open in their music.
In recent years, Jill continued to push boundaries and bring joy, humor, and truth to the stage—most notably with her deeply personal and laugh-out-loud musical “F*CK7thGRADE.” which my wife Kristen was so proud and excited to collaborate with her on.
Jill was a rare light—funny, fearless, and full of heart. Her impact will live on through her art and through everyone she inspired. Rest in power, Jill. You are so loved.”
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Sobule’s manager, John Porter, said in a statement to media: “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture. I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory, & legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”
Long before Katy Perry’s version, in 1995, Sobule released a song titled “I Kissed a Girl” and it hit the mainstream making history by becoming the first song with blatantly queer themes to break the Billboard Top 20. From there, she navigated a three decade career releasing 12 albums. You may recognize her song “Supermodel” from the memorable Tai makeover scene in Clueless.
A Denver native, Sobule’s debut album Things Here Are Different was released in 1990 and in 1995 she released her self-titled album. Sobule’s diverse career included everything from ’90s pop jams to indie label songs to songs about fighting against MAGA or anorexia to the theme song for the 2004 Nickelodeon show Unfabulous starring Emma Roberts.
“I made this for Jill’s song “San Francisco” from her amazing record California Year,” said Margaret Cho, who was one of the many loved ones remembering her today. “We had so much fun making it and there’s a lot of SF celebrity cameos in there. I hadn’t seen it in a long time and it really brought me back to 2008. #restinpower my friend.”
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In October 2022, Sobule opened the rock concert musical F*ck7thGrade at New York’s The Wild Project in the East Village. The musical played through 2022 and returned for a limited winter engagement from January 23- February, 11, 2023.
With music & lyrics by Sobule, F*ck7thGrade brings us back to the 70s with a musical that navigates the formative, awkward adolescent years. with a middle school band, the musical tells an autobiographical story about how Sobule survived those middle years to become the first pop music artist to pen the first openly queer song that landed on the Billboard Top 20.
The musical may be autobiographical, but for Sobule told GLAAD that it’s important that other people see themselves in her story. She wants it to be a musical where people aren’t necessarily coming just for her life story. “People aren’t coming to see my life, they’re coming to see their life too.”
